Lights dimmed: Entertainment industry postpones live events following Kashmir terrorist attacks | Mint

The recent terrorist attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam has cast a sombre shadow over the entertainment world, prompting widespread cancellations and postponements of high-profile live events both in India and abroad.

The deadly terror attack in Pahalgam district killed 26 people, mostly tourists, around 2 pm on April 22.

One of the most anticipated events, The Bollywood Big One shows—scheduled for early May in Manchester and London—has been postponed. The tour was set to feature top Bollywood stars including Salman Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan and Tiger Shroff. 

“In light of the recent events in Kashmir, and with profound sadness, we have taken the difficult decision to postpone The Bollywood Big One shows. While we understand how much our fans were looking forward to these performances, we feel it is only right to pause during this time of grief,” Khan said in an Instagram post.

In India, singer Shreya Ghoshal’s concert in Surat was also called off, with organisers confirming that full refunds will be automatically processed for all ticket holders. Other major acts, including Arijit Singh and AP Dhillon, have also shelved performances, while comedian Kevin Hart cancelled his upcoming India tour.

Siddhartha Chaturvedi, founder and CEO, Event Crafter, agreed there is a temporary impact on events as the overall mood has changed. 

“Anybody would think twice before going ahead with an event at this point. Of course there would be losses and the promoters would bear the brunt, because the venue, vendors and technical equipment may already have been paid for. However, it is likely that people would help adjust these things in upcoming events given the circumstances,” added Chaturvedi, who is also former general secretary of EEMA (Event and Entertainment Management Association).

Companies such as BookMyShow and District by Zomato, that allow ticketing for live events, declined to comment on the story.

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Behind the curtain

To be sure, post-pandemic recovery continues for India’s live-events business that is curating everything from music festivals to multiple-city comedy tours for young audiences craving outdoor experiences.

While the initial enthusiasm for such events was attributed to revenge consumption, as people emerged after being confined to their homes by Covid-19, footfalls have mostly sustained, industry experts said, with smaller cities joining the list of patrons for such events. 

With exposure to global artistes, music, and comedy, audiences in India have become receptive to diverse intellectual properties (IPs). Gen Z remains a prime target for brands, but more millennials are engaging with live events, possibly due to increased disposable income. While music is still the lowest-hanging fruit by way of mediums to engage audiences at a larger scale, the event landscape has expanded to include diverse experiences around alternative pop culture and F&B festivals.

According to the year-end report by BookMyShow, the platform offered 30,687 live events across 319 cities in 2024, an 18% increase compared to the previous year. Tier-two cities including Kanpur, Shillong, and Gandhinagar reported an almost eight-fold increase in live events, signalling the democratisation of entertainment access across the country. Music tourism surged, becoming one of the defining trends of the year. Over 4,77,393 fans travelled outside their cities to attend live music events.

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